Combination-ladder



(No Model.) 7 l J. PURGASON.

GOMBINATIQNLADDER.

Patented NOV. 3,1896

' bodied in the step-ladder.

. the independent sections of the rails.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES FURGASON, or ODESSA, NEW YORK.

COMBINATION-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,469, dated November3, 1896. Application filed March 2, 1896. Serial No. 581 A60. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may amwerm Be it known that I, JAMES FURG-ASON, a citi=zen of the United States, residing at Odessa,

, in the county of Schuyler and State of New 5 York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Combination-Ladders, of which thefollowing, with reference to the accompanying drawings and letters ofreference marked thereon, is a full, clear, and exact description of thesame.

My invention relates to combination-ladders; and it consists of thepeculiar combination and arrangement of the parts of a ladder andadditional fixtures, to be readily and quickly convertible into astep-ladder, with the steps upon opposing sides approaching an elevatedplatform, or a long straight ladder of the usual kind in use andaccording to the wants of the operator.

Figure 1 is a perspective view in elevation of the ladder in itsextended form. Fig. 2 is a sectional edge View at the joint of theladder to more completely show the position the platform may assume asthe ladder is extended. Fig. 3 is a View in detail of the hinge. Fig. 4is a complete View of the form as cm- Fig. 5 is a view in detail of theplatform to reveal more plainly its means for attachment to the jointedladderends.

A 13 represent the side rails of the ladder. These are rectangular incross-section and simply constructed in the ordinary manner of laddermaking. At or near the center of their length these rails at a point ineach opposite each other are bisected to form two independent sectionsof each rail. To the bisected ends thus made are secured the hinges O, aflap of which is bolted or other wise secured to the under-side edge ofeach of This arranges the ladder-frame so it may be opened or closed,like an ordinary pocket-rule, from an open to a more or less acuteinclination of the sections to a common apex at the bisected hingedends, upon which rests and is made secure, in the manner hereinafterdescribed, the platform D, to efiect the complete step-ladder, that maybe mounted from either side, and illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

Represented by F are the rungs, which laterally join the side rails ofthe ladder. These rungs are to constitute the steps and may be of anyform, either flat or round, as may be deemed best suited for theintended purposes of the ladder. I

The platform D is provided with the crosscleats G, arranged thereon tocome closely alongside the inner side of the rails, when said platformis in position on the top of the bisected ends, to form the step-ladder,or on the rails in a suspended position over the joints when the ladderis extended in the straight form.

To the cleats G- of the platform, by means of the staples II, aresecured the hooks I, and

into the sections of the rails A B are driven the staples J in suitableposition to grip down the platform when the hooks swiveled on thestaples of the cleats are hooked into them.

In the rails at one side of the ladder are put the staples m n, andconnected with them the hook K, that has the office of retaining thesections of the step-ladder from spreading and in proper form with eachother when thus hooked.

A special design is given the hinge joints with reference to theprevention of lateral weakness by providing one of the flaps with adeep-slotted portion about the central rivet L, and into which the broadtongue 0 is inserted.

Having thus fully described my improvements, what I claim, and wish tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of two ladder-sections hinged together at their adjacentends, a platform, and means whereby said platform is adapted to beadjusted to be used as such at the tops of the folded sections or to beplaced across the meeting ends of the sections when straight and bracethem together, substan-' tially as described.

JAMES FURGASON.

Witnesses:

